To Whom It May Concern:
Cooper Charlton immediately stood out as a freshman because of his outgoing, friendly, and inquisitive nature. Simply put, he enjoys thinking through problems and issues; he loves being challenged to consider different angles to these ideas. He has matured into one of the most insightful students I have ever had the pleasure of watching mature in the over four years that I have known him for reasons far beyond his academic giftedness. It should go without saying that he also ranks extremely high on my list of favorite students. I first met Cooper as a student in my freshmen English class before having him again in Science Fiction, a senior level semester English class. Although academically gifted, what has always impressed me the most about Cooper is how he treats other people. Cooper is truly the perennial “put his arm over the shoulder to help out anyone who needs it” kind of person, in the fashion of an older brother looking out for his younger sibling. He moves seamlessly between social groups and just as smoothly between friends and acquaintances, and, without knowing the difference, an outsider would never know whether Cooper was currently with good friends or people he barely knows at any given time. His outgoing and generous spirit has a tremendous impact on the classroom and school environment. Cooper also longs to be challenged in class because he realizes the importance of learning and he truly values education.
As a freshman, Cooper was one of the most engaged and insightful freshman students I have been fortunate to have in class, even though he admitted, shyly, that he did not like to read and had not yet read a book he enjoyed. This surprised me because he did not even like the high interest choice books that were read to balance the classics in an attempt to engage students and hopefully help create lifelong readers. I have always appreciated Cooper’s honest and direct nature; his no nonsense and straightforward approach makes him not only likeable, but also very trustworthy. I found it truly amazing that a student who did not like reading was not only willing to read each and every book, rather than attempt to take any of the numerous easy ways out that exist, but also the level of depth and insight that he was able glean from each work he read. He had excellent comprehension with all of the books we read, whether it was Romeo and Juliet, To Kill A Mockingbird, Looking for Alaska or The Perks of Being A Wallflower. He constantly dug deeper and had astute observations with each book. He truly excelled, which is remarkable considering his overall dislike of reading at the time. His willingness to spend so much time on something he dislikes is a credit to his motivation and his work ethic.
As a senior, Cooper had not lost any of his passion for learning—he loves to be challenged and approaches learning as an opportunity to improve himself. One day this spring Cooper stayed in class during lunch. During our conversation I asked him if he enjoyed Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World because he genuinely seemed to like it based on his comments and insight during our discussions, which was surprising for a student who I knew did not like reading. He consistently asked great questions and raised excellent topics in class that showed not just an understanding of the utopia that Huxley created, but more importantly, the deeper meaning behind what Huxley was attempting to show the reader and the horrific nature just beneath the surface of the utopia. Cooper consistently identified with John, the outcast in the novel who leaves the Indian reservation he was raised on and moves to the utopia. John represents what would happen if a person not raised in the utopia were to move there; in essence, John represents the reader. Cooper, as he attempted to take Atticus Finch’s advice, “stepped into John’s shoes” and underwent a similar evolution in thinking about the utopia. John’s journey in the novel takes him from the wide-eyed little kid in the candy store who is amazed by all of the pleasure and happiness so easily available in the Brave New World society and evolves as he becomes horrified when he realizes all that is sacrificed for happiness in the utopia. John realizes, just as Cooper did, that absolute happiness is a very expensive proposition. Cooper’s understanding of Huxley’s extremely complex novel was far beyond that of his peers, and his insight allowed him to truly appreciate the novel. In the end, even with as enticing as the utopia is on the surface, neither John or Cooper wanted anything to do with the utopia. As an English teacher, it is truly gratifying to see a student who not only took so much away from the novel, but who also genuinely enjoyed and appreciated it. However, even more gratifying was when during our lunch discussion I asked him if he still disliked reading. Cooper responded with a look on his face that showed, just for the briefest instant, the embarrassment of youth, before he said “I was just young and immature back then. I didn’t know any better yet.” His maturity and insight always struck me as being far beyond his age and I really hope that at some time in the future he considers reading Fahrenheit 451 because there is so much in Ray Bradbury’s novel that would speak to Cooper, especially with his level of insight and his appreciation of complex ideas.
I will never forget Cooper Charlton, and not just because as a freshman he told me that he did not enjoy reading and then, as a senior, he clearly loved discussing the complexity wrapped up in H.G. Wells’s The Time Machine and Huxley’s Brave New World. Cooper’s freshman English class was very altruistic and raised over $1500 to donate to charity and spent a day volunteering at a local Head Start, working with impoverished children, in response to reading Loung Ung’s First They Killed My Father. Cooper stepped up as a leader of his peers during these activities because he has always had an appreciation for how fortunate he is to have the opportunities he has had in life and he longs to give back, as shown by all of the volunteering and charitable activities that he participated in throughout high school. He stands out as a leader by clearly showing through both his words and actions what he values, whether raising money for charity, volunteering time to those less fortunate, discussing literature and moral issues, or whether by befriending peers and helping them as an older brother would. Cooper, more than any student I have had, would give the shirt off his back to help someone in need.
Cooper Charlton is truly a unique individual who has tremendous potential to offer to any college community. He is a very conscientious young man who, above all else, longs to help people and connect with them. I have had few students who are as outgoing and likeable as Cooper Charlton. His honesty and insight help him connect and drives his desire to learn as he consistently challenges himself. Cooper’s ability to put other people at ease when they are with him is what sets him apart. He is clearly someone who will continue giving back, I have no doubt, as he has done throughout the time I have known him. He has an excellent work ethic and a deep-seated desire for success that will lead to a very bright future, one which I cannot wait to see unfold. He is an extremely enthusiastic student who always has a smile on his face, even when he is tired or worn out. Cooper combines the ability to have fun while completing high quality work, and he truly enjoys academics and learning. His passion comes through in all that he does. His honest, laid-back personality can be very deceptive; he is an excellent student who will succeed and be an asset to any college community. His sense of humor enables him to put a positive spin on most situations, helping make him a great studen t to have in class. I have no doubt that he will continue to be a determined studen t who will successfully adapt to the college requirements and will be an asset at whichever school he chooses to attend, and I look forward to hearing from him in the future as he continues to find his path in the world. If you have any questions or if there is any way that I can further assist you, please contact me at (330) 653-3442 or kosminj@hudson.edu.
Sincerely,
Jamie D. Kosmin, M. Ed.
English Teacher
